The highest peak in the Eifel, a forested volcanic summit rising above the Rhineland-Palatinate.
Hohe Acht
Hohe Acht is the highest mountain in the Eifel range, reaching 746 meters above sea level in the Hocheifel highland of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The summit lies near the town of Adenau and marks the boundary between the districts of Ahrweiler and Mayen-Koblenz. The mountain is the eroded remnant of a Tertiary-era volcano, with its basalt neck now exposed as a rugged summit surrounded by forested slopes and stone-strewn hillsides.
The mountain has long been a destination for hikers and winter sports enthusiasts, and today it is recognized as a protected nature reserve (Naturschutzgebiet Hohe Acht), established in 1970. Crowning the peak is the historic Kaiser-Wilhelm-Turm, a stone observation tower built in 1908 to 1909 that has become the mountain's most visible landmark. From its platform, views extend across the wider Eifel landscape toward the Siebengebirge, Westerwald, Taunus, and Hunsrück on clear days.
Hohe Acht sits at the heart of a region shaped by ancient volcanism, traditional hiking culture, and the long historical presence of the Eifelverein and other local outdoor associations. It remains one of the defining geographic landmarks of the western Rhenish highlands, blending geological significance, recreational appeal, and regional identity into a single well-known summit.
